It’s been awhile since I’ve written more in depth about some of my sessions. But after I visited the Roberts family for their Kansas City newborn session, I knew I’d have to share the details of our day. Janea and JP invited me into their home after the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Eleanor. The results were spectacular.

The beauty of in-home lifestyle sessions

I will always encourage my clients to schedule our sessions in their homes when they have capacity to do so. The big reason is people tend to feel more comfortable when they’re at home. It means your photos will look relaxed and joyful. Plus, when you’re capturing a newborn, is there anything better than having access to your baby’s closet and fresh diapers just in case an accident happens?

Little Eleanor was a dream come true for this couple. I won’t get into the personal details of their journey, but she was seriously a miracle baby. That’s one of the reasons I encourage my couples to schedule newborn sessions with me as part of a larger Watch Me Grow package. You’ll always have that memory in your brain as you look at the photos. Believe me, it will particularly help when they’re moody teenagers!

If you’re new to my work, I started my career as a photojournalist. It’s one of the reasons I really love capturing photography that tells a story. Lifestyle photography captures real-life moments of your family. Those moments may be perfect, but they may be messy, too. And that’s okay. That’s part of the beauty of this type of photography. They are meant to be real, and to document who you are at a point in time. There’s nothing more perfect than that.

The benefits of inviting me into your home

One of the things I love the most about these in-home sessions is how intimate we can get in these photos. Believe me when I say, I know how hard it is for new parents to think about prepping a house for a photo shoot. You’re exhausted, you’re barely functioning because of a lack of sleep. You’re lucky if you have clean clothes that don’t have spit up on them. But I also need you to believe this: these photos will be magical. It gives me the opportunity to peak in on sweet moments with your new baby in a spot where you’re most comfortable.

I also love capturing babies all wrapped up, snuggly and warm. This is exactly how most babies like to spend their early days. I swear to you, once your babies grow up into sweaty little kids, you’ll still be dreaming of these days and imagining that sweet baby smell!

These days fly by so fast. At-home photos will help you hold onto the memories for an eternity. (Also, just going to go ahead and put this out there… Please always make sure your pets are part of the moments, too! You’ll want to remember them as part of this life-changing story!)

What to expect from a newborn session

When I do my lifestyle shoots, we’re going for a look that’s not posed, but is very natural. That doesn’t mean you’re going to miss out on those little details of your baby. We’ll get those little fingers and toes. But it will feel more natural and real than something that’s posed, every single time.

Is there anything sweeter than seeing shots like this of a baby exploring her surroundings? Eleanor did a lot of sleeping, but in the moments she was awake and looking at her mommy and daddy, we got some really amazing photos. Isn’t she perfect?

During newborn sessions, our detail shots are still very lifestyle oriented. I’m so in love with how Eleanor grabbed her mommy’s finger and watched her and her daddy non-stop in those moments where she was awake. I’m not sure we could get a baby more comfortable than when she’s right by her parents in her own home.

Get in touch

If you’d like your own session like this gorgeous Kansas City newborn session, or if you or someone you know is expecting, get in touch. I cannot recommend enough that you book a Watch Me Grow package, which starts with a maternity session. It will remain and incredible gift for expecting parents for years to come!